Timing device



.Sept. 10, 1957 H. c. GRAF 7 2,806,094

TIMING DEVICE File d June ,23, 1954 INVENTOR. #42040 C. 624/ TIMING DEVICE Harold C. Graf, Pasadena, Calif. Application June'23, 1954, Serial No. 4138;792 8 Claims. (Cl. 200-29) This invention relates to timing means and'has for an object to provide a switch mechanism that is adapted to be adjusted with respect to mo-tor-drivencontact members to time .the operation of an electric circuit and also time the duration of the closed period of such. a circuit.

Sequence motors or motors that operate intermittently may be used to control the movement of switch contacts or switch contact-moving members, as the case may be. It is another object of the invention to provide novel and improved switch meansadapted to be controlled by such motors.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, an of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes, preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters-designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is an end view of a timing switch according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view'as taken online 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of a modification.

Fig. l of the drawing shows the oscillating armature 5 of a sequence motor, said armature being mounted on a shaft 6 having one end engaged with a bearing 7 in a base plate 8. The other end of said shaft is similarly engaged with an aligned bearing. Shaft 6 mounts cogadvancing means 9 of conventional form, the same being operatively engaged with the cogs 10 of a wheel 11 carried by a shaft 12 that is shown transverse to the shaft 6.

The above described or comparable means may be employed to impart preferably intermittent rotation to shaft 12. As viewed in Fig. l, the shaft 12 of the device illustrated rotates counter-clockwise.

The timing means that is illustrated comprises, generally, said shaft 12, end brackets 13 and 14 in which the ends of said shaft are journalled in a manner to minimize friction, means 15 creating a light drag on said shaft 12 and, thereby, controlling both overrun and backlash of said shaft, and circuit-making and -breaking means 16 operated by said shaft 12.

The brackets 13 and 14 are generally conventional, being affixed to plate 8 to hold shaft 12 thereabove or in any other suitable position.

The drag means 15 is here shown as a peripherally serrated wheel 17 mounted on shaft 12 and a light spring finger 18 having its free end 19 engaged with the serrations of wheel 17. Said finger is suitably affixed to a t ited States Patent 0 block 20 mounted on plate 8. Being vquite thinand relatively long and springy, finger 18 exerts a light drag on the periphery of wheel 17 to hold the same against overrun and particularly against backlash during operation of the cog-advancing means 9. In this manner, shaft 12 is given an intermittent advancing rotational movement that is uniform at all times.

The circuit-making and -breaking means 16"thatis illustrtaed comprises a wheel '21 fixedly mounted on shaft 12, laterally directed and preferably uniformly spaced pins 22 mounted on wheel 21, a pivotally adjustable arm 23 on a pivot.24 aligned with the axis of shaft 12, means 25 to lock the angular adjustment of arm 23, a lever 26 carried by arm 23 on a pivot 27 and located 'in a plane parallel to the plane of arm 23, and a flexible or spring member 28 extending in a line parallel to the planes of arm 23 and lever 26 from an end of lever 26, and in the path ofmovement of pins22.

While the pins 22 are shown as laterally directed, it will be evident that the same mayextend radially from wheel 21 or even directly from shaft 12. Said pins 22 are intended to represent any form of projections or abutments that may describe a path around the axis of shaft 12 and, in so doing, successively contact andrelease the free end of member 28.

Since arm 23 ismounted on pivot 24 on the axis of shaft 12, it will be clear that said arm may have different radial positions around said axis and that it may be locked in any desired position by the means 25. Thisradial adjustability of arm 23 enables the timing means to be advanced or retarded by changing the position of the free 'end of said arm with respect to pins 22.

Theglever 26 is adjustable around the pivot27 and said pivot embodies means, such as screw29, to lock the adjustment of said lever and the angular disposition of an end 30 of said lever. The member 28 extends from said lever end 30, being carried on a pivot 31 which is also adapted to be locked when adjusted as desired.

Thus, it will be seen that the free end 32 of member 28 is adjustable around the axis of shaft 12, around pivot 27, and also around pivot 31. Thus, said end 32 can be "placed in substantially any desired position with respect to the path of movement between pins 22 to provide'a-duration of contact of said pins and said end for as long as desired. Therefore, if shaft 12 is connected to the grounded side of an electric circuit and lever end 33 to the other side of said circuit, the circuit is intermittently made and broken by pins 22 and the make time with respect to the break or open time can be accurately adjusted.

In the modification of Fig. 4, arm 23 mounts a bracket 34 as on a pivot 35 and said bracket carries an adjustable screw 36 that cooperates with member 28, as shown, to limit or inhibit vibration when released by pins 22.

Member 28 and screw 36 may comprise the two elements of a switch in an electric circuit, the pins 22 successively opening and closing said circuit.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what are now contemplated to be the best modes of carrying out the invention, the constructions are of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular forms of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a timing device, the combination comprising :1 set of projections movable in a path around a center, an arm mounted on said center and adjustable radially therearound, a flexible member carried by one end of said arm and having its other end in the path of movement of and intercepting said projections, and means mounting said flexible member on said arm for adjustment toward and from said center.

2. In a timing device, the combination comprising a set of projections movable in a path around a center, an arm mounted on said center and adjustable radially therearound, a lever pivotally carried by said arm and adjustable on said pivot, and a flexible member on one end of said lever and having an end directed into the path of movement of the projections for intercepting the same as they move around said center.

3. Switch timing means comprising a set of projections intermittently movable around a center, an arm pivoted on said center and radially adjustable therearound, means to lock said adjustment, a lever pivotally carried by the end of said arm and in a plane parallel to said arm, said lever being adjustable around its pivot, and a flexible member extending from said lever and having an end in the path of movement of said set of projections, said projections being connected in one side of an electric circuit and the flexible member in the other side, and said projections and flexible member intermittently closing said circuit during movement of said projections.

4. Switch timing means according to claim 3: the flexible member extending in a line parallel to the planes of the arm and lever.

5. Switch timing means comprising a set of projections intermittently movable around a center, an arm pivoted on said center and radially adjustable therearound, means to lock said adjustment, a lever pivotally carried by the end of said arm and in a plane parallel to said arm said lever being adjustable around its pivot, a flexible member extending from said lever and having an end in the path of movement of said set of projections, and an adjustable stop member carried by the arm and engaged with an intermediate part of the flexible member to stop vibration of the latter after release by said projections.

6. In a timing device, the combination comprising an intermittently rotating shaft, a wheel mounted on said shaft, said wheel being connected to one side of an electric circuit and having a plurality of projections thereon, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent said wheel, the imaginary axis of said shaft extending through the pivotal center of said arm, means to adjust and lock the pivotal position of said arm, a lever pivotally connected to said arm at the end thereof opposite from the pivotal end, said lever being connected to the other side of said electric circuit and lying in a plane parallel to the plane of said arm, said lever having a superimposed relation to said wheel, means to adjust and lock the pivotal position of said lever in respect to said arm, and a flexible member pivotally connected to said lever, said member being in a line parallel to the planes of said arm and said lever and extending into a position for intercepting said projections as said wheel is rotated to intermittently open and close said circuit.

7. In a timing device according to claim 6: drag means to impose a slight drag on said shaft, and an adjustable stop member carried by said arm, said stop member having a position to intercept said flexible member to inhibit vibration thereof.

8. In a timing device, the combination comprising an intermittently rotating shaft, a wheel mounted on said shaft, said wheel having a plurality of projections thereon, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent said wheel, the imaginary axis of said shaft extending through the pivota center of said arm, means to adjust and lock the pivotal position of said arm, a lever pivotally connected to said arm at the end thereof opposite from the pivotal end, said lever being connected to one side of an electric circuit and lying in a plane parallel to the plane of said arm, said lever having a superimposed relation to said wheel, means to adjust and lock the pivotal position of said lever in respect to said arm, and a flexible member pivotally connected to said lever, said member being in a line parallel to the planes of said arm and said lever and extending into a position for intercepting said projections as said wheel is rotated, and an adjustable stop member carried by said arm, said stop member being connected to the other side of said electric circuit and having a position to intercept said flexible member to inhibit vibration thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 775,665 Scott Nov. 22, 1904 1,183,196 I-Ieany May 16, 1916 1,818,983 Bell Aug. 18, 1931 2,277,924 Morrison Mar. 31, 1942 2,510,067 Callander June 6, 1950 2,583,382 Greenwald Ian. 22, 1952 

